


Parasol

by MyRegardstotheReader



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Action, Character Transformation, Dark Romance, F/M, Fear, Phobia, Romance, good person turned bad, new villains
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-05
Updated: 2015-11-07
Packaged: 2018-04-24 21:54:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4936756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyRegardstotheReader/pseuds/MyRegardstotheReader
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Abigail Morrison just moved to Gotham to start a new life, to be a new person. A chance accident with Oswald Cobblepot gives her just that. Car explosions, stalker assassins, a mother in a loony bin, murder, mayhem, and cute dresses make up Abigail's days. While she fights to figure out who she is and what happiness means to her, Oswald has plans for her and she's actually warming up to the life of crime. Maybe happiness isn't always being a good person, and really... what's wrong with that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hello

“Oh thank you, so much, I will make sure to plant it right away.” She grinned sweetly as miss Cobblepot smiled back and nodded. The women chatted for a good two minutes, as Oswald frowned deeper and deeper, watching the two interact. Could this be a ploy, there was no way it was a coincidence. The same girl from this morning, the same female he saved from the jaws of death, she was here, smiling and talking to his mother. How did she even know where his mother lived? She had to be working for somebody… somebody new….

But his stress fell to the way side as he stepped up and his mother perked up. “Oh! Oswald, come meet our neighbor.”

Oswald watched in slow motion as the girl turned, the once bright smile turned into a deep frown as she met his eyes. Those bright brown eyes filled with worry as she stepped back, up against the door frame. Her round face was filled with horror as he stepped up closer. Jimmy was not by his side today, instead opting to watch over the restaurant for him as he went to visit his mother. Oswald took in the brown eyed girl as she backed up as much as she could and tried to shrink. Her 4 inch heels wouldn’t let her shrink much under his glare, and the floral gown on her frame didn’t cover her up from him.

She had changed since this morning.

“Nice to see you again, Abigail.” He cocked a brow as she shifted uncomfortably, trying to shy away. 

“I… er… I didn’t… I didn’t think we’d meet again.” she shuffled a few steps away. “It was very nice to meet you, but I must be off! Thank you for the help, Ms…. Cobblepot.” she seemed to grimace at the mention of the woman’s name. Oswald narrowed his eyes at her slowly as she gripped the potted plant and shuffled down the hall.

“Oh, wait, Abigail… I’ll walk you home.” His mother shot him a look as to explain, but he only said he’d be back. Oswald stepped up beside Abigail who held deathly still, looking down to the man in all black next to her. 

“Uh… thanks…” She looked away and began to head down the hall. Oswald kept pace with her feet till they were down at the end of the hall. Every floor of their complex was set up with two rooms a floor. His mother had the one bedroom apartment. Which meant that Abigail had the studio apartment on the opposite side. 

It was just shortly as he heard his mother’s door shut behind him and the sight of the two of them alone in the hall that he changed his aura completely. Abigail had the key in the door, and was close to being inside and safe when Oswald snatched her by the top of her shoulders and spun her around harshly. Abigail squeaked out loud and gasped for air as he slammed her up against the door, careful not to hurt the plant his mother gave the girl. Best not to upset his mother for a third time this month.   
“Who do you work for?” He snarled darkly, leaning in close as she whined. Her whole body clenched up and she shrunk against the door, whimpering and eyes closed. “Look at me.”

She sheepishly opened her eyes and looked at him with those big honey eyes. He could tell she was petrified to the bone. Good, she ought to be. “I don’t work for anyone, other than the school library on Monday’s and Fridays.”

Oswald narrowed his eyes into slits as he slammed her against the door again and she let out a cry, a sharp pain up her spine made her shiver and break into a sob. “Don’t lie to me!”

“I’m not lying!” She cried, tears actually escaping her eyes. “This is the only place I could afford with my scholarship and paycheck. Please, believe me.” Her voice squeaked.

Oswald let up on her shoulders as he stepped back. When you have done the things Oswald has done, there is no such thing as paranoid enough. Especially when a girl was standing at a bus stop half-way across town early was nearly blown apart by a bomb, now just happened to be the new neighbor of his mother. Someone had to be playing him!

A pretty girl holding a basket of goodies, blue bow in her hair, light blue dress and flats standing at a bus stop, was on her way to help out at the university library. Oswald had seen her as he walked down the street, Jimmy and Butch behind him babbling on about this and that. They were going to pay a local pawn shop a visit about old taxing rules with Falcone. Oswald was king of gotham, and everyone needed to know that. He saw her from a distance and it warmed him to see her catch his glance and smile. A sweet smile, one of someone who didn’t know who he was. She stepped out, as if to ask him a question and he stopped. Butch and Jimmy went dead silent as she stepped closer.

“Excuse me… is this… the bus to GU? I’ve been standing here quiet some time and I just don’t want to be that tourist looking girl who has no idea how to get to her school.” She spoke and Oswald couldn’t help but chuckle. She had seemed so genuine, even offered the three of them brownies she baked. Wanted to make a good impression, she said. Since she had been so close to them and not at the bus stop, when the bus rolled up, she was safe enough to survive the blast.

“I believe you.” He whispered as she looked at him with disbelief. “But, just to be sure… I hope you won’t mind, me checking your story.”

Two police officers had taken her statement at the explosion this morning as he escaped into the shadows. No need to have press all over what looked like an attempt on his life. That’s when he heard them say it. “Don’t go near Cobblepot again, he’s a Mob head now… he’ll get you killed girl.”

Abigail furrowed her brows before nodding slowly and slipping the door open behind her. “I… um… have a good day, Mr. Cobblepot.” she whispered softly and ducked inside.

“You too, Miss Abigail.” He smiled sweetly back at her and watched as she saw his smile, then looked anywhere but him. She shut the door and he slowly backed up, then marched down towards his mother. If she was innocent, she had nothing to fear. But if she wasn’t… she would have hell to pay.

~!~@~!~@~!~@~!~

Abigail dressed quickly as she tried to stay on schedule. But her hair was not going to behave, therefore, she threw it up into a high ponytail and slipped on her mary-janes. Opening the door, she stepped out and closed the door behind her. She was locking it and turning around when she came chest to chest with someone. 

Abigail let out a short scream as her books dropped and she stopped dead in her tracks. A pale man, pale and bald stood before her and smiled sickly sweet. Two females stood behind him in just the same weird black fashion. Abigail’s heart caught up with her as she eyed the three of them with worry. 

“Hi, my name is Victor Zsaz… I’m here to ensure you’re telling the truth.” Abigail stepped back and took the three of them in before looking to her books. Rushing to pick them up, she pulled them back to her chest and readjusted her book-bag and shuffled around them.

“I have class, first day of school and all.” She mumbled, hoping they would just drop it. She wasn’t working for anyone! She wasn’t a mobster or a criminal. She was just trying to finish up her school here. Not that she really had anything to finish with. Abigail was still undecided, which is why at 24, she was still finishing up odd end classes. 

“Okay, girl’s, we’re going to class.” Abigail stopped on the stair as she looked up at the three of them.

“You’re not serious?” She winced as they nodded. “Yeah… Okay… I mean… let's go… I guess.” she murmured as she stepped down the steps. She was inhaling slowly, trying to think of how this would look. Her professor surely wouldn’t mind, right, she would just sit in the back, have them near her if they wanted, and just keep quiet. Stay low and keep her face from exploding with embarrassment.

“Why me?” Abigail asked, whirling around, walking backwards so she could see the three impending doom characters.

“Mr. Penguin feels like he’s being set up. He’s also worried you may harm his mother.”

“But I’m not working for anyone! I was just at the wrong bus stop! I moved here two days ago!” She whined and shuffled back to facing forward. Why would no one believe her. Two days into this city and she was being stalked by a mobster’s henchmen. What had she done in her last life to deserve this?

“And if you’re telling the truth, we’ll stop.” Victor answered as he stepped up and caught up on her right side. He grinned widely and her whole heart stopped. “And if you’re lying, Oswald wants me to take care of you.”

Abigail swallowed hard and tried to regulate her breathing as Victor motioned for her to lead the way to her school. Maybe her mother had been right...Gotham was too much for her.


	2. Amen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abigail must make the decision: stay in gotham or run home with her tail between her legs. Oswald comes to the rescue of Abigail and his mother from robbers,

Chapter two: Amen

Abigail was on the way back from school. Three days ago, Victor Zsaz and his girls followed her around all day, if they weren’t on her heels, they were in the distance. When she came home, she found they had somehow found the time to toss her place. Not that there was really anything to toss. She had been sleeping on a 12 dollar inflatable mattress, wearing clothes out of a box, and living off what little money she had on her. The Library did not pay her enough to truly refurbish, so she wasn’t too surprised that the whole place was rather undisturbed after they tossed it.

She hadn’t seen them the day after, nor that morning. So when she pressed the key into her apartment to open it and heard shuffling behind it, fear devoured her soul. The problem with having constant phobia of dying, or Thanatophobia, is that she was devoured by it here in a city where the death ratio was unusually high. So why would someone afraid of death, specifically of being killed, come to Gotham?

It wasn’t the school, it was her fear itself. She couldn’t BREATHE in this state. She needed to learn to control it if she would ever be able to survive a life with someone. Because despite how afraid she was of someone murdering her, and of death itself, she wanted to fall in love. Find someone to love her, someone she could live with. It was the childish want to be happy.Filled her head and heart by all those fairytales she read to herself as a child. A little glimmer of light amongst a sea of darkness. 

This was not a fairytale. 

But they always found the best fairytales in the darkest of places. Wasn’t that how it happened? The place one is told not to go is the one place you have to go? Anastasia had to mean something, the animated version, not the real version because if she life was like the real Russian princess she may cry. 

“Shh.” Her door clicked as the sound of someone scrambling inside caught her ears. Abigail couldn’t do it, she stumbled back and broke across the hall towards the only safety she knew. Ms. Kapelput’s apartment. Her fist wrecked the door as she was in a full on panic attack. People in her apartment! There were people in her apartment. They were waiting. Waiting to kill her! They were there to kill her! She was going to be gutted for her less than plenty possessions and left to bleed out on her studio floor. 

“What is- ...Abigail?” Ms. Kapelput stepped aside and Abigail dove into her apartment. In a frenzy, she swivelled around and yanked the door shut, her heart hammering in her ears. She could hear the blood in her ears as she panted and threw herself to the floor. That’s when her eyes broke out into fat crocodile tears. 

And that is how Oswald was called to his mother’s in a rush. She had called in hysterics, demanding he drop everything and come over. He had Victor and even Butch on his heels as he came storming up the stairs to her apartment. Long since moved out, after his move up to king of Gotham, he took over Falcone’s home and all the extra’s that came with it. His mother refused to leave her flat, but accepted one of the summer homes he gave to her. Saying she would use it if he would come vacation with her sometime. 

Oswald waddled down the hall, his face screwed up in rage and his eyes darting for anything and everything that could be wrong. It wasn’t till he nearly broke down the door to find his mother cradling Abigail Morrison on the floor that he stopped and let his shoulders slump down and relax.

“Oswald, come here!” Gertrud Kapelput demanded, her hands waving him over. Abigail shuffled away from him, her eyes downcast and shivering. 

“Mother, I thought you were being attacked.” He sighed as he waved for Victor and Butch to follow him. He would have usually left Butch to watch the club and bring Victor with him, but with Butch’s confusion on the night of Fish’s death, he didn’t want to let the man out of his sight. Not till he was fixed again. Victor said he would take him back to his basement, but Oswald wanted Butch to choose him. Mind manipulation could only do so much, Butch needed to want to be apart of the team. Until then, he couldn’t be trusted. 

The Zsazette’s were scoping the building, keeping guard as Oswald came inside. “We have been attacked! Someone was in poor Abigail’s home! Oh, Oswald…” his mother began to pet Abigail’s hair again as the girl sobbed. Oswald rolled his eyes, but sighed and stepped closer. He tucked the gun he had out into the back of his pants and turned to Butch.

“Would you please go fumigate any pests out of Ms. Morrison’s home?” Butch let out a huff, but wheeled around on his heel and stormed down the hall. Oswald then looked to Victor. “Your services won’t be needed Zsaz, you may go.”

Victor flashed a smirk at Abigail who looked anywhere but the two of them, and then whirled on his heels as well and marched right out, completely as happy as when he walked in. Oswald looked to his mother who only cooed and pet Abigail’s hair more. The poor girl was crying still, would she ever stop? He didn’t want to be so rude, but someone breaking into her home was not uncommon in Gotham. If she couldn’t handle protecting her property, she would never make it in Gotham. 

Then she looked up with the saddest puppy eyes any woman had ever given him, “Thank you, for coming.” she whispered softly. Gertrud gave an awe before shuffling to her feet and hoisting Abigail up to. With an excuse of tea, she left the spot and went to the kitchen. Abigail stood awkwardly, shifting from foot to foot in her disheveled plaid skirt and cream blouse, her hair was a mess too, obvious from his mother’s constant coddling.  
“She’s suffocating. I apologize.” Oswald laughed lightly and she smiled, looking down to her pumps and shrugging.

“It’s nice, a nice change.” She smiled before wincing a bit and rubbing her right arm.

“Here, let me see it.” Oswald sighed and stepped up. She tried to pull away but he snatched her wrist and took the aesthetic ribbon on the sleeves of her shirt and undid them. Exposing her arm from her shoulder down, he saw the light bruise on her arm from where she collided with something.

“I may have slightly ran into a door running here.” She laughed nervously as Oswald let out a snort.

“May have slightly?” He teased as she shrugged. Those same puppy dog eyes, amber and honey swirled in one glance, she had an endearing look to her. Oswald fixed the ribbon on her shirt and let it go as Butch came back.

“There was no one there, Penguin.” 

Oswald rolled his eyes only to stop as he saw Abigail smile at him. “Here, let’s go see what the damage is.” He hooked an arm around her waist and wheeled her around. “Butch, wait for me in the car.” Butch groaned, but left the room all together. Oswald let Abigail lead the way, watching the way she twitched and held herself, pulling into herself often as they walked along at the same pace. 

“You don’t have to.” she murmured.

“If I don’t, my mother may hit me.” He teased as a soft smile grew on her face, but she hid it away as she looked away again. 

They round the corner to her studio and the door was indeed broken into. Oswald made a mental note to send a locksmith after he left. Maybe the poor girl would deal with sleeping in his mother’s apartment until it was fixed. After all he had put her through, he owed her that much. He sent Victor on her, imposed her whole day with the assassin after she had told the truth. But in his life and line of work, there was no such thing as being paranoid. 

Victor came home with nothing. Abigail Morrison, as he found out, was no one. A no body, no history in Gotham, or ever really. There were only three things on her that were tangible. She was enrolled at Gotham University, she rented the apartment she stayed in, and a newspaper article from 14 years ago. The newspaper article alone made him feel guilty for putting her through the stress of that day and swore to ignore her. She was just a person, trying to live, who happened to live near his mother. 

They rounded the door frame as she stepped inside and a small sob fell from her lips. 

Everything was uprooted and thrown around the room. They had been searching her empty studio for something. “Everything is… ruined.” She murmured as she sank back against the wall and let out a whimper. 

Oswald flinched, unable to do a thing. He thought of trying to console her, but how did he even attempt to go about that. 

“Please, stay with my mother until this is fixed.” Oswald blurted out and the whole world went silent. Abigail felt like the world was attempting to swallow her whole. The ground opened up and devoured her heart. She had wanted to be less afraid, to have an adventure, to show she was more than her ticks and tocks. Anxiety and phobia filled daughter of a nutter, grand-daughter of an even bigger nutter. Women who hid from their fear, but she wouldn’t. She would ...she would…

“Why would you offer me that?” She murmured, stepping around him and towards the strewn aside boxes. Her clothes were spread out, cut down and ruined. Her sewing kit was safely untouched, but it would still be a huge task to redo her whole closet. “I should just go back, give up.”

She looked to Oswald who cocked a brow up at her. “You’re going to give up after just this much?” He snorted, taking a limped step backwards to lean up against the door frame. 

“Why not?” She huffed as she crossed her arms and closed her eyes, she was back to trembling. 

“I promise, it get’s much harder after this. But it’s worth it.” He stated with a smirk as he grabbed the umbrella he had used as a cane to walk down to the room and turned to leave. Abigail scrunched up her face, her fingers digging into her bicep. What did he know of fear? She had hid in the bathroom for 30 minutes before her shift started, trying to work up the courage to talk to her new boss. She had spent 2 hours working over and over her introduction statement for her classes. The two days she practiced in the car and in her head before telling her mother she was moving were torment. 

Abigail couldn’t deal with the anxiety attacks, with the fear in her stomach. It clenched down hard, it devoured her from the inside out. Her organs felt like they were dissolving, her heart felt like it couldn’t pump blood, she felt all of this in just a short moment and it lasted for hours afterwards. This move was a mistake.

No! She came here to fix herself! She came here to learn to be happy. If she didn’t find love, like the child in her wanted, then she would find love in herself. Fear or no fear, she would not let her demons convince her out of this city. Her biceps screamed in pain as she dropped her arms and bolted to the door. “Oswald!”

Her voice was meek and it sounded like a squeak as she whirled around the edge of the door. She stopped dead in her tracks as the odd man in black turned to her with such a crooked grin. He even crossed his arms, leaning on the end of the umbrella, looking at her expectantly. Inhaling slowly as she shrunk up against the door frame for support, she looked to the ground.

“I… Um… what would I owe, for staying with your mother for a… for until my door is fixed?” She asked sheepishly, unable to meet his eyes. They lifted up to his shoes for a moment as she heard him chuckle and turn, his dark leather shoes turning and clicking away with his umbrella. 

“Just call this my payback for making your first day a living hell.” He threw over his shoulder and tossed something into the air. Abigail looked up fully as she saw a key come skittering across the floor to her feet. A soft smile on her face, she picked it up and pulled it to her chest. A soft warmth filled her stomach as she looked down the hall. 

Ms. Kapelput was peaking out her door with the widest grin on her face. When they locked eyes, she came squealing and running as best she could out and towards Abigail. Pulling her into her warm arms, Abigail melted into the hug, loving the soft smell of tea and musty clothes that she radiated. It was nice, to feel loved, or at least affection in a hug, and Gertrud wore her affection on her sleeves. 

“It seems they’ve ruined all your clothes, little Abby,” She huffed as she pulled back, “We’ll just have to make you new ones. Come! I’ll scratch up some dinner, you can try on some of my younger clothes.”


	3. Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oswald has only just begun taking care of the new city he is now king of. Abigail faces a small blast from the past, which only makes her resolve to stay here more strong.

Chapter three: Blood

Oswald wasn’t sure what to think the first time Ms. Morrison waltzed into his club with his mother on her arm. His mother in all her exuberance was in a green gown with light pink and sparkly scarf, hair always a beautiful mess and smiling up the place. But it was Abigail who seemed to really light up the place, it was the change of outfits that seemed to bring her to life. The girl who shivered and swallowed hard, avoided his eye was now smiling at him with a blush across her cheeks, spinning as told by his mother. She wore a baby doll dress, a puffy white petticoat under a light pink dress that cut off at mid thight, a bow cut across her mid-section, and her top was buttoned up with little bow buttons and she had a collar at the top, and her sleeves were short and puffy. She sported a pink parasol to match that she pressed the tip against the ground and held onto the handle, a shy smile on her face.

“She looks like…” 

“A baby doll.” Butch answered with a gruff. Oswald’s mother clapped and nodded eagerly.

“Isn’t she a cute little doll, and look Oswald, we made an umbrella so you two would match!” Abigail’s face dropped completely with her eyes, trying to hide behind curled hair that hung down around her face, but it didn’t help. Oswald could see the pink of her cheeks.

“I think it’s lovely.” Oswald smirked as he turned from the two women. “We open in an hour, why don’t you take Abigail to a booth mother.” He had other things to tend to than his mother’s whimsical idea of dress up. He thought his mother enjoyed Abigail’s company more than Abigail at times. In just two days, he saw his mother buy more yards of cloth than she ever needed before, and when he came by to invite his mother to the club tonight, he saw the fruits of that cloth. There were things and pieces everywhere. Abigail was obviously at school but his mother was fast away on a scarf on her sewing machine. 

It was nice to see his mother take on projects again, she was so driven to make up for what she thought Abigail’s childhood lacked. Atleast, that’s what she told him when he sat down with her. 

“I’m… sorry.” He heard a whisper and he stopped to see Abigail looking at him with those big puppy eyes. The doll dresses and hair matched her face well, made her big eyes pop and stand out. Now her eyes were bright honey and burnt amber swirling under her slightly glimmering eyelids. 

“For what?” He laughed, pressing the door he had opened shut. She shuffled in her mary-janes, and Oswald caught onto her uncomfortableness. “Being afraid of me is going to make it hard for us to be friends.” 

She chuckled but the shifting from foot to foot stopped and she seemed to relax ever so slightly. “I just meant, I’m sorry about that. I didn’t think she was going to try and show me off.” She made a face to show her discomfort with being in the limelight. Oswald smiled at her, enjoying the way her cheeks prickled pink and she looked down.

“You better get used to it, my mother is that way constantly.” He laughed as he turned to look at his mother over his shoulder, laughing and taking sips of her champagne, talking with one of his bartenders. His mother seemed to catch the two of them looking at her and brimmed with her million dollar smile. Oswald liked to see her so happy.

“I know the door was fixed this morning, but your mother said I should stay a few days longer… saying I should get the place fumigated or whatever for anything else those people did to my apartment.” She spoke softly, “I just wanted to make sure you were okay with that.”

“My mother is capable of making her own decisions. If she wants you to stay, you can stay. It’s her home.” He looked back to Abigail who caught his eye. She looked him right in the eye, only a few inches above him due to her shoes, she fiddled with the lace edge of her dress. Oswald had to give it to his mother and Abigail, the dress looked professionally done. Even better, it fit her just right, brought eyes to all the delicious things about the girl before him. Her hips were wide and accentuated by the skirt of the dress, making her body look like the perfect hourglass, it showed off her mile long legs and made her bust look twice it’s normal size without being out and exposed. Oswald took a moment to take her in before smiling sweetly as he always did.

“I know… I just… with you being… well you…” She seemed to go back to her jittery, self-conscious, self-devouring mentality, looking anywhere but his eyes. Oswald put two knuckles under her chin and brought her eyes and face to meet his.

“Stay, she’s good for you. I can tell… you’re finally looking me in the face. Hard to be friends if you never look me in the eyes.” She blushed and shrugged, laughing nervously. It was sickening to think how much he liked the way she blushed and shuffled awkwardly. Not that he would blame her for coming into her own, if she decided one day to look someone and everyone in the eye and never nervously switch foot to foot. But while it lasted it was… cute. Yes, he decided it was cute and endearing. “Besides, it’s nice to have someone who matches me.” 

Oswald let go of her chin and opened his office door and Abigail jumped and took the hint, scuttling back towards his mother. Oswald watched her take her leave and enjoyed seeing his mother leap out of the booth to pull Abigail into a hug. His mother needed the girl, someone to love and dote on, since his moving out. Someone still innocent and endearing for her to spoil rotten. Not that she loved Oswald any less, but she needed the girl. Maybe he was lucky that Abigail moved to Gotham. 

Smirking as he stepped into his office, he shut the door and cracked his knuckles exuberantly as he looked to the male that was tied up by his ankles to his office ceiling. The male’s eyes went wide and he thrashed in his restraints as Marco smirked and yanked hard on the rope that held him up. “I did good boss?”

“You most certainly did, Marco, beautiful.” He patted the face of the male before him. “Now, Frank, can I call you Frank, you have something I want. Marco and I are going to convince you to give it to me. The longer you make me work… well…” Oswald grinned as Marco flash his knife. 

Abigail looked to the stage as the first band was settling up and smiled. There was a lead singer who was a female and she wore a risque corset top and leather pants, she was bright and beautiful. She enjoyed seeing the girl move across the stage, but her attention was snatched back by Gertrud who offered her another glass of alcohol. 

“Be careful, ms. Kapelput, if you keep at this pace, we’ll have to leave before the show starts.” She chuckled, looking to the woman who giggled in response. Slowing down her pace, the woman and her pulled out the sketch pad that they had mewled over for days. All the designs they wanted to make and those they had completed. Abigail had paperclipped photos of her or Gertrud in the dresses that were completed on their design page, and there were a few others that needed finishing. 

“Well, I say the bubblegum dress was a hit.” Abigail laughed as Gertrud nodded.

“Yes dear, and I love the style,” Gertrud flipped to a new page and looked up to the girl on the stage. “She looks like a hussy.” 

Abigail frowned as she looked up to the woman on the stage. “She seems confident,” She sighed. Gertrud looked up from the book to Abigail who looked at the girl longingly. The girl was performing a mic-check, but she seemed to catch Abigail’s eyes and winked at the brown eyed girl. She instantly went up red in flames and looked down to the table.

“You could be like that.” Gertrud smiled as she nudged Abigail, “You must smile more, Abby.” Gertrud took a sip of her champagne. Abigail took her glass and swirled it around. After she took another sip, she looked up to the room around her. Excusing herself, she went to find the restrooms. Abigail found her way to the room and took herself right to the sinks. Looking to herself, she smiled softly.

Oswald was right, Gertrud was good for her. Maybe it was the new clothes, maybe it was the character she played at with these clothes. Maybe it was school and being forced to participate and talk out loud. Maybe… Maybe it was Oswald and his insistence they were friends. Abigail liked the way her eyes lit up in the lights of the room as she washed her hands and actually went to relieve her bladder. 

It was only a few minutes later that she was about to walk out when her cell phone went off. She could hear it across the whole place. Who… who would be calling her? Abigail stepped out and saw Gertrud digging in her purse for Abigail’s phone. Finding it, she waved it around for Abigail who came and took it from her gently. She had missed the call, and only had a moment to see the name on her missed calls before they called again. Oh no…

“No… No! STOP CALLING ME!” Abigail hissed as she hit the decline button. The phone only began to chirp again as he called again. No! She began to tremble with anger as she flipped the silent switch and dropped the phone onto the table. Gertrud furrowed her brow as she looked down to the phone, then up to Abigail. Abigail was seething as she took a harsh swig back of her champagne. 

“Who is it?” Gertrud asked as Abigail watched her phone light up with another call. He wouldn’t give up! Fine! if it would make him stop, she snatched up the phone and accepted the call. She didn’t even speak only put it to her face.

“Oh, now you pick up! What? Too busy at school to pick up the phone?”

“Leave me alone.” She trembled, stomping her foot.

“What was that? I didn’t hear you over you shaking in your boots!” She heard the drunken laughter in the background. Abigail was trembling hard, her hands dropped the phone and it clattered on the table. She let her hands fly after it as she slapped at the end call shape on the screen and watched as the call went dead again. Abigail swallowed hard, trying not to shake out of her own skin.

“Who was that?” 

“My… My brother.” She whimpered as she looked up from her phone. “He’s… He’s been drinking again. He gets mean when he’s drunk.” For no reason, she lied. She didn’t have a brother, and Mark definitely wasn’t a brother. No… he was an aggressor, a reason she refused to give up. Because if she went back, if she gave up on Gotham, she only had three things to go back to. Her psychotic mother, an empty room, an abusive drunk of an ex. No, she was not about to see him again. Never again. Let him try and track her down this time, she would look him in the eye and tell him off. 

This time, if he showed off, she wouldn’t let him put her through hell. This time, she was not going to be afraid. Except she couldn’t stop the trembling in her bones as she looked to the screen that said his name over and over. 

“Does not sound like a brother.” Gertrud spoke with a cocked brow. 

“I’m sorry…” Abigail turned her phone over and shoved it away from her. “I lied… he’s an ex-boyfriend.” Gertrud’s eyes went wide. 

“Let me get Oswald. He’ll fix this!” She moved to get up, but Abigail put out her hands.   
“No, no, no… please, he’s already done so much. I don’t… I shouldn’t… he doesn’t even know where I am. He’s just being stupid, he can’t do anything other than blow up my phone. I’ll just leave it on silent. See… didn’t even happen.” Abigail smiled sheepishly as Gertrud eyed her suspiciously. Then nodded and waved for her to sit down. Abigail worried she would try to pull Oswald into it when he joined them an hour later. The place was in full swing, people were laughing and talking, the band was going and the whole place was beautiful. The shimmering of dresses and lights, made Abigail happy.

Oswald slipped into the booth with them, and shared a glass of champagne.

“So what have you girls gotten into?” He teased. Abigail looked to Gertrud who shot her the same look. Don’t tell him!

“Alcohol.” They both blurted out and broke into giggles which made Oswald laugh with them.


	4. Tag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim snoops in on Abigail's personal life while Oswald decides Abigail and he should spend more time together.

Chapter four: Tag

Abigail was home alone, for the first time. As much as she wanted to stay in Gertrud’s home, she needed to do this. She needed to stand on her own two feet. But she swore to eat dinner with the woman atleast three times a week. The woman was just down the hall anyway, and she had a key to the place if she ever needed to get in. Gertrud and her were still making clothes and outfits anyway. It was nice to have motivation and direction again. It felt good, it felt healthy. 

Abigail dressed and pulled a head band on her head to pull her hair back. Today was a soft yellow dress with pink and white accents, she had pockets, a bow, and buttons with duckies on them. The Parasol she held up as she shut her door behind her was a matching yellow with pink lace and white duck shapes on it. The parasol’s had been her idea. 

Abigail smirked to herself as she stepped out into the sunshine, opening up her parasol and holding it lightly as she walked down the street. People seemed to flicker their eyes to her, but instead of ducking her head, instead of trying to hide from their eyes, Abigail smiled. She couldn’t make eye contact, that was for sure, she couldn’t talk to anyone definitely, but she wasn’t hiding. Out in the sun, she was out in the light. 

It didn’t stop her from blushing when Jim Gordon stepped in front of her and looked down at her. Abigail had opted for flats today, her white with pink lace stockings, she did have to admit she stood out. His stare bore into her and she worried her lower lip as her eyes fell to the side walk. So much for all that puffy confidence she had a minute ago. The second it mattered, she could feel her heart in her throat and she bent her body backwards, away from him ever so slightly. 

“Are you Abigail Morrison?” He asked.

“Yes.” Her voice was feathery and barely a whisper as she looked around him. “Am I in trouble?” She squeaked, her other arm clenched her book and notebooks to her chest painfully. 

“No, actually.” He cocked a brow at her. Making a pinched face, not sure how to proceed, she slipped around Jim Gordon towards her school. He turned and actually began to walk beside her, his stare baring into her more.

“Um… am?” She couldn’t get a question out when he stopped, hands on his hips and looked down at her. 

“Are you or are you not sleeping with Oswald Cobblepot?” Abigail dropped her books, her face gone up in flames. Her mouth was open, flopping like a fish for a moment before she scrambled to grab her things.

“No! HOW! YOU!” She huffed and scratched her things back to her chest, unable to even look at his shoes, she stepped backwards and to the right, shaking her head furiously. “No! I’m not! And even… even…. if I was! It is… NONE of your business.” She was near spitting mad.

Her face was painfully red and hot and she stomped her foot hard down on the ground as she whirled around to face the school and storm towards it. He was a detective! A HOMOCIDE DETECTIVE! HOW… how… why...But… why would he ask something like that? Out of everything in her life for a homicide detective to ask about, her love life? Not just that… Oswald Cobblepot? He didn’t even see her like that, let alone give any indication he actually wanted to sleep with her. Not that Abigail was one to notice sexual situations, she missed most of them to be honest. But Oswald never even said ‘hey let’s have sex’ and she would have known if they had. 

Furrowed eyesbrow, she whirled back around, face still red and cheeks puffed. “Why… WHy ask?” She demanded.

“Whatever relationship you two have, stop it now.” He stated walking up, trying to catch her eye, but she only shuffled backwards. “He’s probably said you two are friends, am I right?” 

Abigail pouted as she shuffled her feet more and looked up to him for a moment to nod, only to look away.

“His friends aren’t cheap, he doesn’t keep friends he doesn’t use. I think you’re a nice girl, I just don’t want you to get in deep. You’ll regret it.” He stated. Abigail looked up just long enough to see his stern face as he turned around. She had so many questions. For one, how did he even know her name? Know what she looked like? Who was talking about her? Had people seen her… of course they had, she had been at his club. Everyone saw her there.

“What if I don’t.” She called out, tipping back her parasol to see him in full light as she forced her now shaking knees to hold still for just a moment. 

“Don’t?” He asked, turning back to her.

“Regret it.” She add, unable to stop her teeth from pulling at her lower lip as Jim sighed and shrugged. But he left it at that and began to stalk away. Abigail drooped her shoulders and turned back towards the university. Suddenly the idea of sitting in the library for a 5 hours did not seem appealing at all. 

Abigail went despite how icky she felt. Had she really just been threatened? Or was she reading too much into his words. Stop what? Seeing Oswald? They weren’t… they were friends but that was hard to say. They didn’t talk outside of when he came over. They had dinner twice with his mother, those didn’t really count. There had truly been a few times when it had been just them.

Four hours of devouring everything she could of the situation, she had no solution and an empty stomach. Breakfast had not exactly filled her to the brim and now she was nursing a cup of tea hoping it would keep her over till she could grab food on the walk home. 

The library had been empty. Friday’s don’t tend to be busy, especially on this campus. Sunday’s were insane, all those students trying to make up for their partying over the weekend. Which is why for her first few months they scheduled her monday’s and fridays. Abigail only helped two people find things, monitored log-in’s, nothing actually fun. Other than putting up books, she had nothing left to do for her shift. Abigail took this moment to grab the cart and push it past the desk.

She hadn’t even heard the bell above the door ring until she turned to grab a book off the cart when she nearly had a heart attack.

“Hi, Abigail.” Oswald smirked to himself, he took great pride in making Abigail Morrison’s heart stop at his appearance. She clenched her chest and gasped for air as he took the book from her hands and slipped it up onto the shelf. 

“You suck!” She hissed, getting back onto her feet and looking at him with a huff. “You could have killed me.” 

“I know.” He chuckled with a shrug and a grin on his face that matched no other. Abigail shot him a look, only to giggle under her breath and snatch another book off her cart and proceed to put it up. Oswald watched her put them away in easy silence, she didn’t inch away or flinch away from him. 

“What are you doing here?” She asked as she hopped a bit to put a book up on a taller shelf. Oswald watched the way her right leg popped slightly as if pointing her toes and wiggling her fingers would help her reach. He let her struggle for a moment before he used the tip of his umbrella to push the spine of the book. 

“I came to ask if you’re hungry?” He cocked a smile, as she turned to him.

“Starved, actually.” She spoke softly, smiling at him. Oswald put out his arm as she looked to it. Then slowly, she looked to her watch and joined his arm at the same time. Her shift ended in ten minutes, the next librarian could start up the cart. “Just… let me leave a note.” She spoke as they rounded the corner. 

Abigail wheeled around the desk and grabbed her parasol and purse, leaving a sticky note on the monitor as she logged out. ‘Cart in H aisle’. With a smilie face, she stood up and took his arm again. Walking out with Oswald felt better than walking in with Jim Gordon. She was reminded once again that he had basically told her to never talk to Oswald again. But he had been so kind to her. 

Abigail wasn’t dumb, his kindness would obviously turn to a favor she would owe him. His type only had ‘friends’ for specific reasons. But Abigail wasn’t about to let that hold her back from enjoying it while it lasted. Besides, she was more likely to be hurt by people like Jim Gordon than Oswald and his lovely mother. They had only ever been generous and kind, and what did the police do for her?

The police didn’t save her from robbers in her new apartment. The ‘Good’ guys didn’t save her when Jason pushed her down stairs, or held her by her throat in public? Nothing… sometimes, she believed, the good guys weren’t all they said they were. Abigail looked to Oswald, letting her free hand move up and brush some of his loose bangs back into place as she smiled. “What kind of food did you have in mind?” 

Oswald grinned back at her, as he nodded his chin. Up ahead there was only one restaurant that Abigail knew of and her eyes went wide. “I can’t afford that one.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m paying. I’m celebrating, of sorts.” He dropped her arm as he turned and walked towards the door. Abigail opened her mouth to ask as he disappeared into the restaurant. She huffed and looked down the road, he wouldn’t chase her down if she walked home. She could make it there in a few minutes. What was he celebrating? Why did he take her to the most expensive restaurant near the university, a dim lit, candle light dinner kind of restaurants. If people didn’t think they were sleeping together before, they would. 

They had been seen walking on the side-walk together, talking. He did this on purpose… but what did he want? Hadn’t she just been thinking about how she liked his company and didn’t care that he wasn’t a ‘good guy’? What was stopping her? He was a nice guy, who did nice things for her, why was she thinking of walking on. Because he had done bad things to other people she wasn’t ready to think about yet? With a huff, she turned and followed him inside. She was in this, if she realized this or not. And it was better to follow him than to worry what he might do if she ruined his plan. 

Plus she was starving and would never be able to eat here under any other pretense. 

“Fine,” She whispered in his ear as they walked into the restaurant, led by a waiter. He smirked as he looked up to her. How was he so good at manipulating here, even in the small things like coming to eat or the big thing which was staying. 

“And don’t worry, you don’t owe me anything for having dinner with me. Just consider it a small party.”

“And what are we celebrating?” 

“My soon to be reinstating of Jim Gordon.” He grinned as they were sat at a reclusive booth in the back. Abigail furrowed her brows, mouth open. She wanted to say something, but at the moment, she couldn’t help but blush furiously and look at her hands under the table. Fiddling with the tulle of her petticoat, she moved her lips like she was going to say something, but she couldn’t force them out. The heat in her cheeks kept her quiet. “Is something wrong?”

“He… er… well… I thought he was a homicide detective. I didn’t know he wasn’t a cop at the time.” She murmured as she looked up to the table, her eyes flickered to meet Oswalds for a moment. A person she didn’t have to answer to had stopped her. Now she was even more furious! How dare he do that to her! Demanding answers when he truly had no right, then telling her to stay away. Who was he to tell her that! 

Abigail knew Jim Gordon through Gertrud. She spoke of Oswald’s detective friend once or twice, and even had a picture of the many Oswald took for her.

“What time… did you and Jim talk?” Oswald chuckled, watching her as a waiter came by. Abigail was so wrapped up in her own head that she didn’t hear him order them white whine, or an appetizer. She only realized he had when a glass was sat in front of her and Oswald bent his head to catch her worried eyes.

“Yes. I did. He came up to me on my way to work, asked me personal things.” She spoke in a rush as she took a sip of her wine in a rush. The fried crab legs were dropped off in the silence that followed. 

“What did he ask?” Oswald finally asked as he reached over the table. Abigail didn’t flinch away as he placed his hand on her free one and Abigail finally looked up to him.

“If we were sleeping together.” She winced slightly, not sure how he would react. But when he snorted and rushed to cover his mouth and laughter, she didn’t think it’d be that. 

“What did you tell him?” He giggled as he took a crab leg and bit into it, giggles still shaking his shoulders.

“That even if we were, it was none of his business.” She reached forward to take one and had no reason to think it, but she was afraid he would slap her hand. Oswald didn’t even seem to notice her take a leg and bit into it, looking at his wine and laughing to himself. “Why are you laughing?” She blurted out.

“Because Jim has the guts to ask if I’m sleeping with my friend, when he’s sleeping with his co-worker and medical examiner. He has no room to judge anyone’s love life.” He snorted and sent a wink Abigail’s way. She bit her lower lip and looked away. Unable to eat or drink for a moment as her stomach twisted painfully. It was just a moment from when he dried off his fingers and reached across, lightly taking hers, to when she found the courage to look up at him. “You think I was laughing because it was you…”

“I may… have taken offense… slightly.” She murmured, kicking her feet lightly under the booth. She smiled when she saw him smile back at her, finally meeting his eyes as he brought her hand to his lips. His kiss along her knuckles made her shiver, it was the look he gave her that made her shiver and take her hands back quicker than she could believe, or how she took a hard sip of her wine. 

“What would we like to eat?” Abigail squeaked and shot back in the booth as Oswald grinned and looked up to the waiter. 

“I think we’d both like the house special.” Oswald cocked a brow at Abigail who nodded ferociously as the waiter nodded and whipped around to put their order in.


	5. Cruel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oswald is attempting to keep his city under control, and someone's put a hit out on all his possessions. Unfortunately for Abigail, that includes her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ehhh... it's a bit shorter than usual. Thank you to Claudette for reviewing =)

Chapter five: Cruel

Oswald sat in the car as he waited for Victor. Victor was ‘cleaning’ up his mess within the commissioner's house and Oswald was actually chipper. Happy that it had gone so well. He knew what would get the man to flip, but he was always happy when a plan went off without a hitch. Jim should be pleased to say the least. It was the least Oswald could do after what Jim did for him. It was nice that everything was going according to plan. He crossed his fingers as he thought it and looked out the window towards where Victor left the home. The pale man locked the front door and walked towards the car.

Victor was inside and had started the vehicle before he spoke. “Are you sure about this?” Victor asked.

In the last week or so, Victor and Oswald had become close. Unlike Falcone who seemed to resist using Victor, seeing him as only a weapon, Oswald saw him as an accomplice, as a gift. Victor had been resistant at first. Falcone had been his first and only boss for so long. But when Oswald and Victor had a moment to sit down, it felt like they were new people. 

In the car, it felt safe and easy between the two of them. “Yes, I’m sure.” Oswald answered. He settled back in his chair. 

“Where to now then, boss?” Victor asked, looking to Oswald who inhaled slowly then exhaled. He frowned as he looked out the window, watching the dark city pass them by as they drove towards the compound. Victor’s eyes darted to and from Oswald with concern as the man seemed to be thinking hard on things. 

That’s when his phone went off and he reached down to grab it. Oswald could tell it bothered Victor that he hadn’t answered his original question, but he didn’t really want to go anywhere but home. He needed sleep and he wanted to work out his next few steps. Only, Victor gave him that look that meant something was wrong.

“It’s the club.”

“What happened?” Oswald asked, looking to Victor who hung up the phone.

“Someone tried to rob the club.”

“Well… lets go see what we can do for our small business.” Oswald growled to himself as they drove towards the club. It was fast and Victor was not afraid to push his gas pedal. Within moments they were at the club where a very angry Gabriel stood just outside with a shotgun. Oswald shot out of the passenger door and Gabriel bowed his head a bit. “Where is the person?”

“In the back… Butch has him … tied up.” Gabriel looked around for a moment before seeing Victor and bowing his head to the man as well. “He brought two guns in boss, he tried to kill the new bartender, and shot one guest in the leg.The guest is in the hospital.” 

“Thank you Gabe,” Oswald narrowed his eyes on the empty streets. “Please, go ensure all guests are taken care of and that our bartender is given a small bonus for keeping quiet.” Oswald stepped inside and Victor was on his heels. 

“Want me to take care of the perp?” Victor asked as Oswald pursed his lips and looked around the club. It looked like they let a deer loose in the dinning room. 

“No, I have this, but find out who they are, find out why they did this…I want answers.” Victor nodded and left Oswald as he followed the sounds of grunts and wails. It pulled him to the back room and he opened the door to find two men in the room. A male was tied like a hog to a chair and Butch was cracking his already bloody knuckles, but it wasn’t his blood.

“That’s enough Butch… let me talk to him.” Butch stepped back, huffing and angry, but he moved aside. Oswald finally was able to get a good look and the male before him looked instantly afraid. Oswald stepped up, his eyes narrowed down at the boy and he clicked his tongue against his teeth.

“Now, please, make this easy on yourself and tell me what I want to know.” The male attempted to spit, but his front teeth and lip were busted up thanks to Butch, his spit was just slightly projected spittle. “I see, if that’s how you feel…” 

Oswald flipped out his blade from his pocket and pressed it up against the chin of the male. “Then I’ll just have to… persuade you.”

Oswald was not above violence to get what he wanted, but Abigail was unable to perform violence as she sat in her apartment. She was dressed down into a pair of gym shorts and a tank-top. She was flopped on the couch, laptop open and she was still unable to get the damn paper done. She had no motivation, and short of her lack of violent outburst, she was not going to solve this. But Gertrud was still sleeping, and she had no idea what anyone was going up at this hour.

Other than college students who couldn’t get their butts in gear. With a sigh, she pushed the laptop from her and groaned, leaning back in the cushion. That’s when there was a knock on the door.

Abigail looked to her door then to the clock on her phone. It was close to 4 am, who the living hell? Slipping up to her feet, she walked slowly, not even near the door when she heard the voice. “Abigail Morrison… it’s Victor.”

She opened the door with a sigh and looked to the pale and bald man. He smirked at her as he stepped inside. What the heck was he doing in her apartment? Abigail whirled around to see Victor slipping onto the edge of the couch and looking up to the female. 

“Is this what you do with your life?” He chuckled as Abigail huffed and rolled her eyes. She swatted his hip, watching him get up and off the edge of the couch. She walked to her kitchen, which was only a few feet from the living room part of her studio.

“Tea?” She asked as she put the kettle on her stove and cranked the heat on. 

“Definitely.”

“So… are you going… to tell me?” She asked, turning and leaning her hip against the counter, cocking her head at him.

“Tell you … why I’m here?” He asked with a grin. “There was an incident at the club, Oswald asked me to hunt down some clues and they weren’t good.

“Like what?” Abigail asked, walking up and settling with him at her two seat poor excuse for a dinner table. Gertrud had helped her go yard sale hunting last weekend and that’s where she got the cheap plastic table and matching chairs, where she got the couch for only 30 bucks, because the fabric was in dire need of repair. She merely just sewed new fabric for it, and made pillows for her plastic seats. 

“Someone has put a hit out on Oswald’s things. Not him, but his things. His club, his restaurants, his home, etc. There was also… mention of his mother and … you.” Abigail’s eyes went wide as the sound of gurgling, half boiled water filled her ears. “So I’m here to … check up on you before I report back to Oswald.”

Abigail stood to grab mugs, her hands and legs shaking. “So what… what do we do now?” 

Victor stood and stood next to her, touching her hand with his hand. “Gertrud is off to go visit a friend of hers this morning, Jimmy is going to escort her. Don’t you have family you could visit?” He asked with a cocked brow. “Just till I … fix the infestation?”

 

Abigail thought about her mother before her face went sour and she frowned. “No… I don’t.” Her mother could rot. She would not let that disease take over her life, even for her own safety. If this town was determined to kill her, it would need to do better than scaring her back home. Though she was genuinely afraid of being killed thanks to Oswald, she would not return. She left for a reason! She would not break down and go back, because if she did she’d never escape. Like a bad addiction she had to stay clean and free, or else she’d fall back in.

“Then come home with us.” Abigail looked up to Victor with fearful eyes as he looked down at her. “I’m sure you’d like a vacation, huh?”


	6. Electricity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abigail wakes without knowledge of what happened last night, and for a moment, she's actually worried that Oswald and Her shared more than just pillows. Secrets of what happened that night Oswald is hiding away, and Abigail asks help from Victor Zsasz...who asks her for help in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter that connects my two stories. If you want to read the parallel story, it's labelled 'Controlled disaster', it's a victor zsasz/OC story. This connects to it further down in the story than is written, but we'll get there. =)

Chapter Six: Electricity. 

Abigail woke slowly, as if she were drugged, and she feared for a moment she had been. But she realized that it wasn’t thanks to drugs. It was her body trying to save her from being mortified. As she blinked droopy eyelids, she looked to her right, the sound of running water. That’s when her heart leapt into her throat. Oswald’s bare back was to her, and she could see across the room, the bathroom door open. He was wearing his black slacks, unbuttons and loose around his hips and her whole world came into view slowly, and she forced herself to drag her lifeless corpse to her other side. 

 

Looking down to her covers, she found herself in a t-shirt, and she could feel the soft cotton of one of her many gym shorts. But she couldn’t remember the night before, it was a nasty blur. The other side of the bed was ruffled and completely uprooted and her throat grew thick. A lump the size of her face lodged itself in her vocal chords. 

Fear of what could have happened filled her being as she looked around the room without moving and found no proof of anything. But as Abigail squirmed, wanting to move but not alert Oswald to her consciousness, she smelt something on the pillow next to her. That’s what made her sit up in a rush and a gasp. It was his smell, Oswalds. It was thick, like cologne but it didn’t leave a bad taste in her mouth. 

“Abigail?” Her head shot to the left and suddenly she recieved a lovely eye full of Oswalds chest. He leaned over the bed where she sat up, nostril’s flared and heart beating against the lump in her throat. “You alright?”

“I … well… um… I guess…. I er… well..” She babbled, not even getting out words as she looked down to her lap. Not without seeing the clear smirk on his lips as he snatched up a shirt and pulled it up over his head. Abigail sat there, unable to breathe properly as he pulled it down and tucked it into his loose pants. Her eyes couldn’t help flickering to where his fingers were and she held her breath as he pulled his pants taunt and zipped it up.

“Abigail?” 

“Hmm?” She shot her eyes up and caught the gleam in his eye. That’s when her face lit up. 

“You don’t remember last night at all… do you?” He grinned, leaning over again. Abigail could feel his breath on her face as he snatched something off the head board. He was inches, just inches from her face as he smiled at her. 

“No… I don’t.” She whimpered, her chest heaved for air she didn’t realize she was holding. Abigail didn’t have to think too hard to realize something drastic about herself. God did she want him to kiss her. Her eyes traveled to his lips then up to his eyes, her face bright red and teeth worrying her lower lip.

“Well then… I’ll leave you to figuring it out.” He whispered slowly as he pulled back and pulled his button up over his arms. Abigail couldn’t help the soft whine that fell off her lips as he sauntered across the room towards his other things. “I’ll be out for the rest of the day, please feel free to explore my home.” 

Abigail was unable to move for quite some time even after he had left. Her brain was on reasonably bad breaks, stopping for a moment then starting, whirling and skidding. 

It wasn’t until she scooped herself out of the bed and moved to use the bathroom that she found a few images quiet useful. She remembered coming to Oswald’s home yesterday early in the morning, staying in the library and snooping through his book collection, typing her paper while standing up at a desk while she blasted pop music because Gabe said she could, and then … dinner. But at dinner, she couldn’t remember what happened after they served the food… with alcohol.

Oh great.

Abigail looked in the mirror of the bathroom, touching her face, deciding that she needed to work this out moment by moment… and include someone else in her search. Rushing to the bedroom door, she broke it open and looked about the hall. “Victor?” Her voice was meek but she looked across the hall then stepped out. “ZSAZ?” 

Her voice seemed to bounce around the empty house as she was about to step out into the hall and search for him, the bald man appeared. 

“Morrison?” He teased with a smirk. 

“Hey.” Abigail grinned sheepsihly, looking to the floor then back up at him. “I need your help.” She motioned for him to follow her into the room.

“When do you not.” He teased as he followed her in. Abigail flopped onto the bed, recovering as she pulled herself to a sitting up position with her legs crossed. Victor sat down on the edge, cocking a brow at her.

“What happened last night?” Victor smirked and chuckled, only making Abigail groan and lay back against the bed. 

“You don’t know?” He laughed.

“NO! and…” Abigail whined. 

“Oswald asked me not to tell you.” Victor teased with a laugh, and Abigail shot forward and looked him the eye. 

“Please, I’ll do anything… if you tell me!” She whined, reaching forward and placing her palms on the bed. Victor looked down to her hands, then back up to her.

“Anything?”

“Don’t make me regret this.” She grumbled, her eyes on her hands, before slowly looking up to him. It was funny, Abigail believed, that in the few short weeks, she found herself comfortable with Victor Zsaz, even Cho and Bean his girls. They were nice. ...and they were killers.

“Fine, I’ll tell you… if you help me with a small problem I’m having.” Victor cocked a brow at Abigail with a soft smirk. Abigail let out a snort but nodded. She put out her hand and the mercenary took it, with a shake he grinned like a cat.

“You drank a whole bottle of wine in order to calm your anxieties, and Oswald joined you in a second one. You two sat on the stairs laughing about being awkward children and Gabe carried your drunk, lifeless, body up the stairs, and dropped both you and Oswald in the bed.” Victor confessed and Abigail let out a laugh. Of course! Of course it would be something ridiculous like that. “So yes, you two slept together but you didn’t…”

“Sleep together.” She finished with a sigh of relief. “Oh my god, how does he remember?”

“Oswald can hold his wine.” Abigail snorted as she relaxed and looked to Victor. 

“What problem are you having?” Victor seemed to let his smile falter as he looked to his lap, then back up to Abigail. “What is it?”

“There is someone… who is ….”

“Victor, are you… asking me for advice?” Victor nodded as he looked up to Abigail, looking her straight in the eye.

“I enjoy her company, she is like you. So I figured you’d be able to help me,” He shrugged as he looked up to Abigail and her face lit up with a giant smile. “Get her back…”

“Like me how?” She asked, cocking her head to the side, not sure how to saw how adorable he was. He looked like a puppy, smiling softly and laying his hands on his pant legs. 

“Not in the business… she’s innocent, as far as I can tell.” Abigail grinned as she flopped down onto her stomach. She was beyond ecstatic.She would have a job to do within the Cobblepot house, even if it was helping Victor get the girl.   
Oswald sat in the office downstairs when night finally fell, Victor walking inside and sitting in the chair opposite him.

“Is it done?” Oswald asked, flipping through a few papers. Looking over plans for the city, working out his next step. He needed to find out who was threatening him and why. Oswald scowled at the idea that anyone would try something that stupid. Blue eyes looked up and met the dark ones that Victor looked back at him with. 

“She doesn’t remember, and I gave her a new story to remember.”

“And she won’t remember what happened?” Oswald asked as he put the papers down completely. He remember what happened last night completely and he could never have Abigail remember it. Oswald played the night over and over in his mind, unable to keep it from his thoughts. But if she remembered, she would be completely distraught and crying, shaking and trembling.

“No, I gave her a sweet memory to hold onto, and… I gave her a task to keep her busy, away from dark thoughts. Last night, during dinner, it was like the laws of the land were broken. Abigail was sitting at the table, chatting away with him and Butch, happy to talk about dresses and school, smiling and munching away. Oswald hadn’t seen her so happy in days. But then the doors flew open and masked men came storming in. They fired shots all around and yanked Abigail out of her chair. 

Oswald shot two, Butch snapped the necks of one, and Abigail was lying on the ground, gasping for air, a wound on her back. She was bleeding and a total wreck. Oswald held her close as she bled profusely, Victor came with his kit. She kicked and screamed and screeched as he dosed her with something, and she was almost lifeless in his arms as Victor stitched her up on the dinning table. 

He couldn’t… just leave her to sleep alone. Oswald ordered a hunt, for any and everyone connected to those idiots. He would have blood shed! He would see anyone dead who hurt his things, or his dear ones. Abigail had become such a new person in his life, but she was already dear to his heart. She would not suffer at his hands, never again. Victor promised the drug would wipe her memory and they could play it off. The dining room was cleaned for anything and everything, and the bodies buried where no one would look. 

Oswald lay with her the whole night, holding her close as she slept off her terror. If she ever remembered the insanity of that night, she would never feel safe with him again. He couldn’t have that, and he would not allow her life to ever be in danger again. Not because of him. 

“What did you tell her?” Oswald asked.

“That she drank too much, that you two sat on the stairs laughing and talking, drank more. Then Butch and I carried your drunk bodies up to bed and left you there, in the same bed.” Oswald chuckled as he nodded.

“Thank you.” Victor nodded softly. “About the scar?”

“It will heal in a few days, I patched it up well and covered it in a lot of healing balm. As long as no one touches it, she’ll never see it. It’s too close to her spine for her to notice any other way.” Victor assured his boss and Oswald was greatful. Inhaling slowly Oswald stood.

“I best go see to my Babydoll, then.” He teased, chuckling with Victor. It was a term of endearment the men had come to call Abigail. She was always dressed like a babydoll, in those dresses. But more, she was always smiling and soft spoken. It seemed his men had taken a liking to her. 

“She is in the library, she’s trying to find someone.”

“Is that the task you gave her to focus on?”

“More of a hopeless project.” Victor sighed as he looked to the door with sad eyes. “I asked her to help me with Blaire Roberts.”

Oswald went rigid as he looked to his mercenary. His stone cold assassin… was he…

“You miss her?”

“I asked Abigail to help me get her back.” Victor stated with a soft look to Oswald.

“I hope she does.” Oswald passed Victor and out the door.


	7. Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abigail and Oswald grow closer as a curious hit woman fails at harming someone in Oswald's life. He fears that there is more at play than he once thought.

Chapter seven: Broken

The house was full of buzz and Abigail couldn’t handle being in the same room with all the talkers. She needed space and quiet. Her laptop on the couch in the library, she nibbled on her thumb, her headphones blaring music and keeping her from the sounds of outside the library. She was so wrapped up in trying to finish her homework she didn’t hear doors open. Three days in a row she woke up, got dressed, made breakfast for her, greated Oswald, went into the library to do school work, then she had an afternoon of whatever she wanted. The last two days she had been hunting down a woman by the name of Blaire Roberts.

She was a ghost. It seemed just a month or two ago she disappeared from the face of the planet. Her phone was turned off, her social media sites went dead, and even her credit cards stopped use two to three days before hand. Victor wasn’t kidding when he called her beautiful. Blaire was a socialite beauty. Her hair was perfect in every picture she found, and she wore the latest high end clothes for what looked like the longest time. But then, it seemed everything changed. The last month of her media coverage it all changed. She was dressed in more flirty, less prissy clothing. Then she saw it, two pictures.

One of victor in the background, of a club it seemed, they seemed happy. Another she was in his lap, on a couch of some sort, he was leaning his head on her shoulder. The once stone faced killer looked content. Domestic even. 

Abigail had even used Beans tracking service on the girl’s phone, nothing. 

“Mmmhm” Abigail nearly jumped in her skin for she didn’t find hands snaking down her own arms. Abigail turned ever slightly only to feel lips on her bare shoulders. Her entire body went still as those lips kissed her skin, then those lips moved to her throat. Then she turned to see the black tuff of hair there and her heart was in her throat. 

“Oswald?” She sat back as she caught his eyes, her voice was caught in her throat along with her heart… and her stomach… and her organs… and a lump for added pressure. 

“How is your homework?” Oswald whispered, still inches from her face.

“Ah… It’s…” She squeaked as her eyes fell to his lips. He had… he had been kissing her. He kissed her neck, his hands still sat on her arms. Only now they traveled back up to her biceps, trailing fingers along her skin. Goosebumps lay on her flesh as she tried not to breathe in too deeply. “It’s fine.”

Her voice was high pitched and tight as she looked at the distance between her and Oswald. She had thought of it often, their kiss. What it would be like, how it would taste. Not that she should, Abigail had far more things to think about. But here, inches from him, the feeling of his kisses on her shoulder burning into her, she thought of it.  
It was this moment that she truly believed he could read minds. Because Oswald leaned in. It was soft, it was quick, and it made her whole world go hazy. His lips were cold against hers as he pressed just slightly more into it. Abigail pushed her laptop from her lap and turned towards him, making it last longer. Oswald turned his palms to cup her cheek, and she could feel him pulling back. But she didn’t want it to end.

Abigail scrambled to stand, grabbing onto his jacket and pulling herself flesh up against him. It was the gasp that brought her whole world crumbling down. He inhaled sharply through his nose as his left arm snaked around her waist and pulled her close. The other dove into her hair, tangling in her loose strands that she did nothing with today. 

It had started off soft, easy, gentle. But now, tangled in his limps, she felt like there was a fire in her. It burned her flesh. It devoured her whole. Pressing against him, she felt his body react. His fingers brushed her scalp, tugging her hair ever so slightly. Abigail stumbled a bit as he seemed to move, but in a rush of limbs and bodies, he was down on the couch, and she tumbled after him. Her Laptop safely shoved across the couch, Abigail sat on oswald’s lap, straddling him. Her hands instantly snatched up his shirt, sliding herself closer. Wrinkling his clothes as if the impossible idea if she let him go he would disappear. 

Oswald was just as clumsy as he grabbed at her, pulling her in. It was a few moments before he broke to breath and she was still there. Her forehead against his, panting, mouth open and lips bruised. “I… I hadn’t meant…” 

For the first time, Oswald seemed the one without words to speak. Abigail grinned from ear to ear as she pulled back just enough to look at him. His lips were just as puffy as hers, red and wet, and his clothing was yanked and grabbed at, no longer pressed and elegant. “I meant to.” She breathed.

“You…?” Oswald puffed, unsure how to speak for a moment. 

“Well… I meant to kiss you… when I had the courage.” Abigail confessed, her cheeks bright red. Oswald’s eyes seemed to devour her. He cupped her face and pulled her in again. The hand that had been around her waist now hoisted her rear so that she was flesh against him. A small squeal of nerves broke their kiss for a moment. Only to be silenced by his lips. 

“Boss?” Oswald heard Butch before he felt him near as he broke the kiss with Abigail. She sat there, breathless and flushed as he looked back over the couch back to the male. “Oh… I … er… sorry.” 

“No, No, we were … just talking.” Oswald grinned at Abigail, her face bright red as she scrambled off him. Oswald stood slowly, straightening his clothing. “After dinner then,” He teased.

Abigail gaped at him, watching him walk from around the couch. Oswald felt smug. He felt incredibly smug as he followed Butch out from the library and towards the sitting room. Apparently there was someone waiting for him. Oswald had Victor giving him intell at every moment he found any. The hunt for the person out for blood was on going. He would not let anyone touch his loved ones ever again.

It was a female in the waiting room, a tall dark woman with a scowl on her face. “Are you Oswald Cobblepot?” She hissed.

Oswald cocked a brow, looking to Butch then to the woman. Butch was just as confused as he was, but said nothing. He had resituated his suit since his rumble with Abigail, despite the wrinkles, no one could tell he had just been inches from naked with a female on his couch. Atleast, he’d like to think that was on the table. 

“Yes, I am.” He eyed the female. Thankfully, Butch was just as suspicious of her, as the moment he had answered her, she had pulled a gun. Butch had his own out and was already on her. Pinned her straight to the wall, gun to her throat. Her own gun was dropped to the floor. Oswald picked it up, eyeing it before her. Filed off serial number, professional grade, this was a hit.

“You’re not a very good hit woman.” Oswald snickered.

“I wasn’t sent here to kill you.” She hissed, as a giant smirk grew on her face. Oswald narrowed his eyes on her, then whirled around. That! BITCH! He rushed from the spot, leaving Butch. However, he sensed his boss’ panic, and knocked the female out, but to keep her from leaving he shot her. Oswald turned just in time to see the bullet hit the female in the thigh, keeping her immobile atleast for the most part. Butch was on his heel as they wheeled back around towards the library.

“Abigail!” Oswald shouted, rounding the corner.

“Os… oswald?” Abigail spoke. He stood with a sigh of relief to find her hiding beside the couch. Her face was full of fear as she looked up to him. “Was that a gun shot?”

“Yeah, it was… I shot a bug… sorry.” Butch blurted out, laughing and scratching the back of his neck. 

“Must of been a huge bug.” Abigail whimpered, standing and hugging herself. Her eyes went to Oswalds’. He smiled softly and nodded. 

“More like the size of my head.” He chuckled and Abigail smiled back.

“Well… I guess that’s good. Butch, you’re my new favorite exterminator.” She giggled, stepping up around the couch towards them. “I’m … I’m going to go get something to eat-”

“NO!” Butch and Oswald announced together. They made eye contact. Abigail stepped back,eyeing them both with surprize and shock.

“Uh… Okay.” She looked down to her feet, turning back to the couch.

“I mean, No… we’ll bring you something. I will. I will bring you something.” Oswald broke looking to Butch with a stern look. “Butch will stay here, make sure there are no more bugs.”

Butch took the hint thankfully and nodded, walking into the room as Oswald stalked out of the room. 

Abigail eyed them both. Something was up, she was sure of it. Something had to be up with them. It wasn’t a bug… it couldn’t be a bug. Butch didn’t shoot without reason. There had to be a better reason. Maybe a bad deal? He was king of Gotham, Oswald probably had Butch hurt someone for the bad deal. They just didn’t want to seem like villains to her.

“Did someone forget to pay?” Butch jumped as Abigail looked at him with concern. “It’s alright, you can tell me.”

“I… er… yes. Sort of. More like threatened Oswald. You can see how well he takes threats.” Butch smiled sheepishly, sitting on the desk. Abigail sighed, nodding slowly. It made sense. She wished Oswald wouldn’t lie, but she didn’t blame him. Sitting back down, she folded her hands in her lap and looked up to Butch with a soft face.

“Thank you, for telling me the truth.”

“He doesn’t want you to hate him, you know.” Butch nodded the direction that Oswald left. “None of us do. You’re nice, having you here is nice. Like our own little Babydoll.” Butch grinned.

Abigail frowned for a moment. Babydoll had been the nickname everyone called her. It was the way she was shy and meek. It was the way she smiled. The way her ex treated her when he wasn’t harming her. But coming from Butch, it seemed… almost like a compliment. Maybe she ought to take back it all. Take back all the things she hated from her past and rewrite it. Maybe her happiness was just this. Being able to like a small nickname such as Babydoll and enjoy it as a compliment. Not a dirty stain of her past.

“I’m glad. I like it here.” Abigail giggled, looking around. “I wish I could stay here forever.”

“Why don’t you?” Butch snorted. Abigail blinked, her brows raised as she mewled the idea over and over in her head.

“I don’t know… I didn’t know Oswald wanted me to stay more than a few days.”

“You’re free to stay as long as you want.” Oswald’s voice made Abigail whirl around on the couch. She smiled wider as he sat a tray next to her, winking at her as they went. “Butch, it’s time we cleaned up our mess.”

“Yeah boss.”


	8. Sunshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abigail has found Blaire, but she's not sure what exactly she's found.

Chapter eight: Sunlight

“Abigail?” Oswald called, walking around the home. His panic over retaliation had grown ten fold since the assassination attempt. Victor was with the female down in his basement, trying to figure out who sent her and why. But it was not going as well as he reported it going with Butch. She was a blank slate, which made him worry endlessly. She wasn’t sent to kill him, and she wasn’t sent to hurt him in anyway. This was literally just an attack on Abigail.

“Over here!” She called out from her bedroom. Oswald sighed a sigh of relief as he rounded the doorway and found Abigail picking between two outfits. There was a meeting today at the school, a presentation she had called it, and she was frantic to get ready for it. He didn’t see why she was so worried, Abigail said multiple times she didn’t care about the class. Yet she needed to be presentable. 

“Are you even going to speak in the class?” Abigail’s face went bright red as she looked down to her hands. He caught her off guard, and embarassed her apparently. Oswald ought to apologize, but the small smile he saw on her face as she shrugged made him feel better about his statement.

“I don’t know.” She whispered as she sat the cloth down on the bed, “I just figured I’d look the part.”

Oswald stepped up towards her, watching her shift uncomfortably under his gaze. She pulled back as he stood just before her. Then he reached down and picked up the black skirt and white blouse combination she had picked out. Holding it up to her, he smiled more as he took out her arms and put it in them. “You’re not looking me in the eye again.”

His voice was soft as he enclosed the space between them. It had only been a day since they had been on the couch. Since she had been in his lap and her lips on his. Oswald watched her eyes fall on his lips, her chest heaved as she looked up into his eyes. Abigail seemed breathless and Oswald would not lie and say he didn’t like it. The clothing she had in her arms was clutched to her chest, the clothes hanger dug into her shoulder and Oswald let his eyes travel her. It touched her neck, the thing he planted kisses all over yesterday.

Oswald hadn’t meant to, but when he saw her there, neck exposed and completely focused, he only meant to lean in. Then he was kissing her skin and she felt like heaven against his lips. 

“I’m sorry.” She whispered. But he didn’t have anything to say. His hands cupped her cheeks and pulled her in. The blouse and skirt was flung to the bed as her hands grabbed at him. Desperate kisses between them, Oswald inhaled sharply through his nose. Her shower soap and shampoo hit him like a truck as she backed him into the bed post. Abigail was pressed against him, hands in his hair, and Oswald’s body reacted in kind. Hands cupped her hips and pulled hers against his, his teeth nipped her lower lip.  
“I can’t be your friend if you don’t look me in the eyes.” Oswald snickered against her lips as she pulled back ever so slightly. 

“So you make-out with all your friends?” Abigail asked breathlessly. 

“I admit, you’re a bit more special.” He nipped her lower lip, dragging it ever so slightly before he let it go. He could feel her warm breath on his face as she let her arms fall and drape over his shoulders. Oswald watched her cheeks grow red as his hands moved up from her hips to her side, running his hands over her ribs. He could feel the shivers roll through her body. Then something surprising happened. A mewl of sorts, a gasp and moan mixed together. And it came from Abigail. 

“i-mm-ticklish.” She mumbled as Oswald grinned. She let it out again as his knuckles went up her sides, stopping just under what he imagined was her bra. 

“Sure… you should get dressed. You have class soon.” Oswald left a passing kiss on her cheek as he skittered past her. With a smirk he looked over his shoulder as Abigail touched her lips lightly. Then moved to take up the clothing. 

Abigail could still feel his kiss as she pulled the blouse over her tank-top. Pulling off the pajama pants she once wore, she pulled on the skirt and flattened it against her body. She actually… lied to Oswald. There was no presentation. No, today, she was being driven to a different place entirely. Oswald was endlessly worried since yesterday morning, she could feel it. He was constantly coming to find her. Gabe was on her tail every second of the day. Butch wouldn’t say it, but she could feel it.

Abigail needed out of the house. Her panic would start to rise, if Oswald was afraid, so was she. She needed a project, something to do or work on. Which is why she had did her hardest to track down a certain woman named Blaire Roberts. Victor had no idea that she found out where Blaire went, and she was glad he hadn’t asked yet. Because if he knew, she didn’t know what the assassin would do.

Abigail stood just inside the university wall until she could see Gabe get back inside his vehicle. Adam, her bodyguard for the day, as she suspected, stood beside her. “What are we hiding Ms. Abigail?”

“Shh! Don’t say anything, but I’m hunting down someone… from Victor’s past. And if you report me missing to Oswald, he’ll flip out. So you have to come with me, and this has to be our secret.” Adam’s eyes went wide. But he nodded and followed Abigail back out onto the side walk and hailed them a cab. Ten minutes later and just outside of Gotham, Adam and Abigail stood outside of a large white estate. It had giant black iron fencing, a lawn the size of Gotham itself, and the estate was massive. It was the sign that made Abigail shiver. 

“New York …. Safe house? Home for Domestic abuse victims?” Adam read as Abigail swallowed hard. 

Could Victor have put her in here? Which is why she had to know Blaire was here for something else. But if she was here because of Victor, she’d never tell Victor. They walked the side-walk towards the home. People were scattered all over the lawn. Men, women, small families. It was like a public park, with living space. Abigail was in awe as she spun around, taking it all in. 

“Excuse me?” Abigail jumped and whirled around as a woman in a nurses outfit stood just before them. 

“Oh! Hi! You must be nurse Hailey. I’m Abigail, we spoke on the phone?”

“Yes, and as I told you on the phone, I can’t divulge information on a patient like that.”

“I know, I just…” Abigail blushed as she looked down to her feet. Inhaling slowly, she felt the tears she had prepared. “She’s my sister. I just want to see that she’s okay. Please, our grandmother is so scared. I came home from school and she was gone! If her boy-”

“Abigail?” 

The whole world seemed to go silent as a female stepped out from behind a tree. She was just like the pictures. Long beautiful hair, big glowing eyes, and a smile that made you want to smile back. Abigail knew who the female was before she had to ask. But how did she know who she was?

“Blaire, is she really your sister?”

“Yes. Nurse Hailey, when you asked about a woman claiming to be my sister, I realized too late… little abby was supposed to be home.” The nurse didn’t seem to actually believe them. But she nodded and backed away. Adam stepped further back until he was away from the two females.Soon it was just Abigail and Blaire, looking each other in the eye.

“Hi.” Abigail whispered softly.

“What do you want? Are you here because of Jefferson?” She nearly hissed, her eyes going dark. 

“No… I’m actually here… for Victor.” Abigail knew in the single moment it took Blaire to break down that Victor hadn’t done it. Because her face lit up like a christmas tree. Blaire covered her lips as if she couldn’t smile any bigger, than she was in tears. 

“He’s… He’s not here? Is he?” Her eyes darted.   
“No, he doesn’t know.” Abigail spoke softly. “Blaire, did Victor put you in here?”

Blaire shook her head as she turned away, obviously wiping tears. It was the way she held herself in with her arms, the way she tried to breathe. Abigail knew those movements, and suddenly, she felt self-conscious. Blaire was a broken soul and Abigail wanted nothing else but to help her. Stepping up to the female before her, Abigail touched her hand to Blaire’s shoulder. No flinch, no shrinking, she only turned to meet Abigail’s eye. Unlike Abigail, she didn’t seem to shrink from others. 

“Victor is the one I was trying to protect.” She whimpered. “He’s a good man, he cared for me.”

“Then why are you here?”

“Because I have to be.” Blaire confessed.

“I don’t-”

“If you’re here for him, then ask Victor what happened the last night he saw me. If you still want to help him after that… I’ll be here.” She snapped. Abigail was left voiceless as Blaire nearly broke down into tears as she backed away. 

“Blaire- I… He doesn’t know I’m trying to find you.” Abigail lied the best she could. Technically it wasn’t a lie. Victor didn’t know as much as she did. But she was here on his wishes. He wanted to fix things, obviously. What had he done. “What do you mean you’re trying to protect him. I don’t imagine a guy like Victor needs protecting.”

“Just ask him…”

“And if I come back?”

“You won’t.”


End file.
